HOOVER, Ala. - Despite a valiant comeback, the No. 2 Maryland men’s soccer team fell in penalty kicks after an epic 4-4 tie against No. 3 Georgetown in the semifinals of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship Friday.

The Terps (20-1-3) picked up goals from Schillo Tshuma (2), Patrick Mullins and Christiano Francois and managed a gritty second-half comeback with a pair of scores in the final 17 minutes of the match.

Maryland, which competed in its 12th College Cup Friday, landed on the board first with the first of two scores from Tshuma. Senior John Stertzer’s cross flicked off Mullins and Tshuma took care of the rest with a header from three yards in the 22nd minute.

Georgetown (19-3-3) answered with a staunch minute stretch in which Steve Neumann scored a goal at 32:11 and 33:40 to pick up its first lead of the match.

The Terps clearly outplayed Georgetown in the second half, outshooting the Hoyas 10-4, but the stanza started dreadfully for Maryland. An unfortunate Brandon Allen goal extended Georgetown’s lead to 3-1 after a failed clear went awry from Terrapin keeper Keith Cardona in the 48th minute.

A steadfast Maryland unit cut the lead in half in the 59th minute when Tshuma tallied his second goal of the match after Mullins crossed the ball to the freshman from the backline.

Neumann struck again at 60:11 to complete his hat trick performance with a four-yard strike for a 4-2 Hoya advantage.

Mullins showed exactly why he belongs in St. Louis in January for the MAC Hermann Trophy presentation with a header rebound goal after an absolute rocket from Mikey Ambrose ricocheted off the cross bar in the 74th minute.

Francois, who was one of six key contributors off the bench for the Terps, would take matters in his own hands in the 77th minute, shaking off a defender, possessing for 10 yards and firing a 15-yard equalizer into the lower right for a 4-4 match.

Maryland held the advantage in overtime but was unable to convert and Georgetown overcame an early deficit in penalty kicks to advance 5-4.

“It’s very difficult to cope with the reality that we are not advancing,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “This was in my view the greatest semifinal in the history of college soccer. I love my team. I told them that. I love them even more after this game. They made not only me and our University but all of Terrapin Nation very proud.

“That was a classic game. We’re going to get better from that game. We’ve got some great young talent. We’re going to begin the process of getting back to next year’s College Cup immediately.”

The Terps compiled their fourth 20-win season in 2012 and registered their 19th consecutive winning season. Friday night’s match was the collegiate finale for storied seniors Taylor Kemp, London Woodberry and Stertzer.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - No. 2 Maryland advanced to its 12th College Cup in program history with a 3-1 victory over No. 10 Louisville in the quarterfinals of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Soccer Championship Saturday.

A raucous Ludwig Field crowd enjoyed goals from London Woodberry, Jake Pace and Patrick Mullins as the Terrapins (20-1-2) avenged last season’s NCAA tournament loss to the Cardinals (14-6-1). The Terps will face local rival Georgetown in the NCAA semifinals in Hoover, Ala., Friday at 5 p.m.

Maryland showed its intent in the opening 30 seconds of the match when freshman Schillo Tshuma’s bicycle kick attempt was punched over the bar by Louisville keeper Mike Mauro.

The Terrapins continued to pour on the pressure and Woodberry cashed in, scoring his third goal of the season off a Taylor Kemp cross in the 34th minute. The goal was the senior centerback’s first since he knocked in two tallies in a 3-2 win over College of Charleston on September 29.

Louisville struck back on the counter in the 40th minute. Zach Foxhoven got on the end of a Dylan Mares feed and put the ball past Maryland keeper Keith Cardona to even the contest.

Maryland took the lead into halftime after redshirt junior Pace weaved through the Cardinal defense and headed home aDakota Edwards cross into the far left corner.

The goal with 40 seconds remaining in the first stanza was Pace’s fifth of the season and gave the Terrapins a margin that reflected their first half dominance.

Maryland controlled most of the second half, but was unable to capitalize on a number of chances. Sunny Jane and Mullins both had point blank efforts saved by Mauro, who tallied five saves for the game.

Mullins, a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, finally provided the Terps with a two-goal cushion in the 68th minute. The junior knocked in his team-leading 16th goal of the season off his own rebound after a scramble in front of the net following a solid Kemp serve from the sideline.

Maryland, led by the backline of Woodberry, Edwards, Kemp and Jordan Cyrus, protected its lead for the final 20 minutes to secure its 12th trip to the College Cup.

“We played a great game against one of the great teams in college soccer…against one of the most well-coached, skillful and determined teams in the country,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “This game had a lot of intrigue to it and our team came out with a hunger, a tenacity, a determination and a skillset that carried us through.

“I am delighted our seniors will have a chance to experience the College Cup. Every player that came here since 1994 has had a chance to play in the College Cup, and this set of seniors was not going to let that pass us by. They worked their butts off.”

The victory gave Maryland its fourth 20-win season in its history, all accomplished under Cirovski, who is in his 20th season in College Park.

The Terps, who are returning the College Cup for the first time since 2008 when they won their third national championship, will face the third-seeded Hoyas live on ESPNU.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Sunny Jane scored two goals and notched an assist as No. 2 Maryland punched its ticket to the NCAA quarterfinals for the fourth time in five seasons with a 5-1 rout of Coastal Carolina Sunday at Ludwig Field.

A conscientious Maryland (19-1-2) defense held the high-powered Chanticleer attack to only one goal, and combined Jane’s tallies with goals from Patrick Mullins, Mikias Eticha and Jereme Raley for one of its most complete performances of the season.

After an uneventful first 10 minutes, Eticha knocked in a dangerous cross put in by Jane for his first goal of the season in the 13th minute.

Coastal Carolina (20-3-2) rebounded in the 21st minute when Ashton Bennett scored from 19 yards out. The squad’s top scorer took advantage of a weak Maryland clearance and was able to guide the ball past Terrapin keeper Keith Cardona for his 16th goal of the 2012 campaign.

Maryland came back less than a minute later when a Mullins’ free kick from 30 yards trickled into the net. The teasing ball was misjudged by Coastal keeper Mark Petrus and bounced into the left corner of the goal for the 2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year’s team-high 15th tally of the year.

The Terps dominated the second half with Jane leading the way. The junior forward scored his first two goals of the season over a span of just four minutes.

Jane’s first tally came off of a sensational individual effort that saw the outside midfielder beat Petrus to the back right post after getting past a Coastal defender in the 60th minute.

Jane’s second goal came shortly after when freshman Christiano Francois retrieved the ball on the end line and laid it back to Jane, who calmly guided it past Petrus in the 64th.

Maryland put the Chanticleers away for good when Raley got on the end of a Jordan Cyrus pass in the 86th minute.

The five goals were the highest total for Maryland since a 6-0 victory over California on September 2.

“I’m very proud of our guys. I thought defensively, we did a great job,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “Although this was two great attacking teams, I thought the team that was going to win was the one that was better defensively, and I thought our guys did a great job in neutralizing some of the great individual players that Coastal has.

“I thought it was a great overall performance. I’m very proud of our guys and I’m delighted that we’re moving on.”

Maryland’s backline of Cyrus, Mikey Ambrose, Dakota Edwards and London Woodberry held the Chanticleers, who came into the game with nation-high 62 goals scored, to only one goal on 11 shots.

Maryland returns to the field next Saturday for the NCAA quarterfinals. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. from Ludwig Field, and coverage can be seen free of charge on TerpsTV.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Dan Metzger’s goal in the waning moments of regulation was the difference as No. 2 Maryland defeated Brown 2-1 in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Men’s Soccer Tournament Sunday at Ludwig Field.

Bobby Belair scored early for Brown (13-3-3), before goals by Patrick Mullins and Metzger lifted Maryland (18-1-2) to the third round for a nation-best 11th season where it will face Coastal Carolina in next week’s third round.

Brown capitalized on its control of possession early in the first half when Beliar turned in a corner kick for the game’s opening goal. The senior forward was able to get ahold of Dylan Remick’s dangerous cross for his fourth tally of the season.

The Bears almost doubled their lead just after the opener. Sophomore Ben Maurey’s chip went just wide after Maryland keeper Keith Cardona was caught out of his goal.

Maryland asserted itself late in the half with a series of chances. Defender Jordan Cyruslaced a strike from just outside the 18-yard box that was blocked by a Bears defender.

Mullins, the 2012 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, tied the game just before halftime with a beautiful individual effort. The junior forward received the ball at the midfield line, dribbled forward, and unleashed a strike from 30 yards that beat Brown keeper Sam Kernan-Schloss low to the right corner of the goal.

Mullins goal was his team leading 14th of the season and gave the Terrapins momentum going into the second half

The second half was a physical battle with both teams creating chances for the go-ahead goal. Mullins almost put the Terrapins in front with 34 minutes remaining, but his header was well saved by Kernan-Schloss.

Maryland took the lead in the dying moments when Metzger deflected a Helge Leikvang cross into the back right corner of the net with 57 seconds remaining.

It was the sophomore’s third goal and Leikvang’s second assist on the season.

“I’m proud of our team tonight,” head coach Sasho Cirovski said. “We didn’t play our best soccer, but we showed our championship fiber and found a way to win. To score a goal in the last couple minutes of each half shows a team that’s mentally tough.

“Brown is an outstanding team. I expected they were going to give us a great challenge tonight, and they did.”

Maryland returns to the field next Sunday to take on Coastal Carolina in the third round of the NCAA tournament. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. at Ludwig Field and the game can be seen live for free on TerpsTV.